Internal-combustion engine.



W. E. VER PLANCK & L. V. STOELTZLEN.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1914.

LEW/ 9M. Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

. 1 Fig.2.

Inventors:

vvltniesses' William E.VeI-P|ancK,

Their oflttornag.

. e pat na oration.

WILLIAM EVERETT VER. PLANCK AND LEO V. STOELTZLEN, OF ERIE,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS 'IO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed June 6, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM EVERETT VER PLANCK and LEO V. STOELTZLEN,citizens of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie,State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is aspecification. 7

There is at the present time a type of engine having at least one pairof cylinders, each provided with two pistons arranged to move toward andaway from each other as they transmit power to the crank shaft. Theinner pistons, or those adjacent the shaft, are directly connectedthereto by connecting rods. connected to an inner piston in the adjacentcylinder by a pair of diagonal rods, one in the front and the other inthe rear of the cylinder. Such an engine requires very exact workmanshipin the making of the diagonal connecting rods and in the means foruniting them with the connecting rods that unite the inner pistons withthe main crank shaft. If there is the slightest difference in length ofthese diagonal rods or if the bearings of one of the rods wear more thananother, it causes the relatively movable parts to bind to a greater orless extent and thus cause undue wear. The same effect may be broughtabout to a lesser degree by unequal expansion of the diagonal rods.

Our invention has for its object to overcome the defect above mentionedand to provide a selfcompensating or self-adjusting connection betweenthe diagonal rods and the connecting rods that are connected to anddrive the main shaft. 1

Our invention is applicable to engines utilizing steam or other elasticfluid as a source of power, and also to engines of the internalcombustion type utilizing gas, gasolene, or other motor spirits, andalso the heavier oils. It may also be used in reciprocating apparatusfor compressing air and other gases.

In the accompanying drawing which illus trates one of the embodiments ofour invention, Figure l is a side view of a two-cycle internalcombustion engine with certain. of the parts broken away; Fig. 2 is avertical section of the same taken in a plane per- Specification ofLetters Patent.

Each of the outer pistons is Patented Oct. 2c, 1915.

Serial No. 843,557.

pendicular to the crank shaft; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showingthe means for connecting the inner piston and one cylinder with theouter piston and the adjacent cylinder; and Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof the gimbal which connects the diagonal rods to the inner piston.

5 indicates the casing of the engine, and supported thereby arecylinders 6 and '7. Only two cylinders are shown, but a greater numbermay be provided if desired and arranged vertically or horizontally. Eachcylinder has an extension at the top and bottom to form suitable guidesfor the relatively long trunk pistons, and these extensions are slottedas at 8 and 9 to receive the outer wrist pin 10 and the inner wrist pin11. Located within each cylinder is a pair of oppositely moving trunkpistons, the outer one 1:2 being connected to the wrist pin 10,

and the inner one 13 to the wrist pin 11.

It will be noted that the wrist pins 10 and 11 occupy positionsat rightangles to each other. To the wrist pin 11 is attached a connecting rod1% whose lower or inner end is connected to the crank 15 of the mainshaft 16.

As will be seen best in Fig. l, the outer piston in one cylinder isconnected by a pair ofdiagonal rods 17 with the inner piston in theadjacent cylinder, thereby permitting the use of four pistons with onlytwo cranks. The upper ends of each pair of rods 17 and 18 are connectedto the wrist pins 10 in any suitable manner. The lower ends are providedwith a special connection. Surrounding the lower end of each of thecylinders is an annular member 19 having trunnions 20 to receive theinner ends of a pair of diagonal rods. Formed in the ring and in theplane of the trunnions are two openings 21 to receive the inner wristpin11. When the wrist pin is in position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 it willbe observed that its axis and that 0t the trunnions 20 are at rightangles, and also that said pin forms a common means for connecting theconnecting rod with each inner piston and for connecting the diagonalrods with said connecting rod. The annular member 19 and its trunnionsand wrist pin 11 form in effect a gimbal joint between each pair of thediagonal connecting rods 17 and its coopcrating piston. The annularmember 19 is separated from the outer surface of the cylinder by arelatively small annular clearance space 22, which space is greatenough, however, to permit said annular member to rock slightly aboutthe wrist pin 11, or about the trunnions 20. will prevent binding orundue wear on the parts due to the fact that one of the rods 17 isslightly longer than its mate, to inaccuracies in boring one of thepistons and mounting the wrist pin in place, and to unequal wear of therod bearings. The arrangement also provides for unequal expansion of thediagonal rods 17.

'e prefer to locate the gimbal joint within the chamber 23 which mayalso serve as the scavenging air receiver. Fuel is introduced into thecombustion space between the pistons by the fuel injector The exhaustproducts leave the cylinder by the ports 25, and fresh air forscavenging purposes enters the cylinders by the ports 26, said portsbeing controlled by the pistons.

27 indicates the dome which incloses the air compressor that supplieslow pressure air for scavenging purposes and high pressure air forinjecting fuel into the combustion space against the compressionpressure.

By extending the cylinders top and. bottom and using long trunk pistons,we avoid the use of separate cross-heads and guides therefor. Byutilizing gimbals the wrist pins 11 perform a double function; that is,connecting the connecting rod la to an inner piston and connecting saidrod to a pair of diagonal rods such as 17. The features above enumeratedhave the effect of reducing the number of parts required and insimplifying and reducing the initial cost of the engine.

In accordance with the provisions-of the patent statutes, we havedescribed the principle of operation of our invention, together with theapparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodimentthereof; but we desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown isonly illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by othermeans.

\Vhat. we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1.- In an engineof the character described, the combination of a pair ofcylinders, oppositely moving pistons in each cylinder, a. crank shaft,a. connecting rod between each of the inner pistons and the shaft, apair of diagonal rods that connects each of the outer pist-ons with theinner piston in an adjacent cylinder, and a universal couplinginterposed between each pair of diagonal rods andthe inner pistonmovable therewith.

2. In an engine of. the character described, the combination of apair ofcylinders, 0ppositely moving pistons in each cylinder, a

This arrangement crank shaft, a connecting rod between each of the innerpistons and the shaft, a pair of diagonal rods that connects each of theouter pistons with the inner piston in an adjacent cylinder, and auniversal coupling that is pivotally connected to each pair of diagonalrods. and also pivotally connected to the inner piston and movabletherewith.

3. In an engine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofcylinders which are slotted at their inner ends, oppositely movingpistons mounted in each cylinder, a crank shaft. a connecting rodbetween each inner piston and the shaft, a wrist pin for each connectingrod and its piston which extends through the slots in the cylinder, amember which surrounds each cylinder and is connected to an inner pistonby the extensions of said wrist pins, and a pair of diagonal rods foreach outer piston that are plVOtflll) connected to one of said members.

4. In an engine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofcylinders which are slotted at their inner ends, oppositely moving trunkpistons mounted in each cylinder. a crank shaft, a connecting rodbetween each inner piston and the shaft, a wrist pin for each connectingrod and its piston which extends through the slots in the cylinder, anda gimbal that is connected to each pair of diagonal rods and also to awrist pin.

In an engine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofcylinders, oppositely moving pistons mounted in each cylinder, a crankshaft, a connecting rod between each inner piston and the shaft, annularmembers each of which is pivotally connected to one of the innerpistons, and a pair of diagonal rods for pivotally connecting each ofthe outer pistons to one of said members, the axes of the connectionsbetween each member and its diagonal rods and piston being at rightangles.

(5'. In an engine of the character described, the combination of a pairof cylinders, each of which is slotted at opposite ends, oppositelymoving trunk pistons mounted in each cylinder, a crank shaft, aconnecting rod be tween each of the lower pistons and the shaft, a ringwhich surrounds the inner end of each of the cylinders, a wrist pinwhich extends diametrically through each ring and slots in the cylinderand connects a piston and connecting rod, a wrist pin that extendsthrough each of the outer pistons and the slots in the outer end of thecylinder, a pair of diagonally arranged rods that are connected to eachof the last named pins, and trunnions on each ring that serve as fulcrafor the diagonal rods.

7. In an engine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofcylinders, oppositely moving pistons mounted in each cylinder, ,a'maincrank shaft, a pair of diagonally arranged rods for connecting eachouter piston with an inner piston in an ad- In witness whereof, we havehereunto set jacent cylinder, a connecting rod for conour hands this 3rdday of June, 191 neoting each of the inner pistons with a WILLIAMEVERETT VER PLANOK. crank on the shaft, and a wrist pin which LEO V.STOEL'IZLEN.

connects each of said inner pistons to its Witnesses:

connecting rod and also connects a pair of O. T. FoUoHE,

diagonal rods thereto. @TTO L. PERSSON.

